I have been trying to make better cookies for awhile. I followed the directions and my cookies just lacked something. They weren't pretty and they didn't taste exactly like I wanted them to. The first thing that I changed was the chocolate chips.
I switched to Ghirardelli's 60% cacao chips and by far, they are the best chocolate chips I have ever used. I had a lot of food interactions last year and have completely given up eating chocolate and dairy, but these chocolate chips I can tolerate. The next thing I have learned is that I can't make chocolate chip cookies with butter. The cookie just doesn't look right. It gets very flat and spreads out when I use butter. So, I did some research and decided to try
Crisco. Yes, I know, I have long had an aversion to Crisco. Not considered the most healthy food ingredient but, it makes a pretty cookie.
For the cookie above I used the recipe right off of the Ghirardelli bag.
Here it is:
Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups unsifted flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
Somewhere between 3/4 and 1 cup of Crisco. A full cup was too much.
(The recipe calls for 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, I omitted and replaced with Crisco.)
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
10 oz. Ghirardelli 60 % Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Chips
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Stir flour with baking soda and salt; set aside.
- Beat butter with sugar and brown sugar at medium speed until creamy.
- Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed until incorporated.
- Gradually blend dry mixture into creamed mixture.
- Stir in chocolate chips.
- Drop by tablespoon onto ungreased cookie sheets.
- Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown.
And now for a healthier chocolate chip cookie. Have you ever heard of clean eating?
Here is a really great blog that describes clean eating really well. The Gracious Pantry
is a great resource for healthy recipes if your trying to start the New Year with healthier food choices. Clean eating is about eating foods that aren't processed. You are ridding your body of all of the chemicals put into processed foods. Last year I went through a whole year of food reactions and I was surprised to learn how much is in our foods that we don't want in there. I have only began to learn about this and am not an expert by any means but, I can tell that eating this way is better for your overall health.
So, after months of not being able to eat chocolate I just discovered not only can I use these chocolate chips but, I can make them into these much healthier cookies.
Clean Eating Chocolate Chip Cookies
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Tools
Food processor
Large mixing bowl
Spatula
Food processor
Large mixing bowl
Spatula
Ingredients
2/3 cup almonds
1/3 cup cooked oatmeal
3 tbsp. agave or honey
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup grain sweetened chocolate chips (or dairy free chips)
2/3 cup almonds
1/3 cup cooked oatmeal
3 tbsp. agave or honey
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup grain sweetened chocolate chips (or dairy free chips)
Note: If you don’t want to use the chocolate chips, they could be very easily substituted with raisins, nuts or dried fruits of any kind.
Directions:
- Mix everything except the chocolate chips in the food processor. You should have a wet, sticky dough when you're done.
- Using your spatula, scrape dough into your mixing bowl and mix in chocolate chips.
- Spoon onto a parchment lined cookie sheet.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
The healthier cookies turned out great. They tasted good and are better for you than the first recipe. I didn't use the grain sweetened chocolate chips. I wasn't sure I would be able to tolerate them so I used what I knew would work. The Clean Eating Chocolate Chip Cookies only made 12 cookies. So you may need to make that recipe larger if you are making more cookies than just for a personal treat.
Enjoy!
Sherry
I will link this to:
Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum Wednesday Show Off at Elna-Sudden.
What's It Wednesday at Ivy and Elephants
Thriving on Thursdays at Domesblissity
18 comments:
Hi Sherry, very timely your recipe, and information. My son is about to test ways less 'heat' to make these cookies! And suddenly, bang, here is your inf. He says to read and put into practice. The truth is that there is much to know about the ways of care! Greetings, Rose M
I know what you mean about using Crisco but seriously it makes the best chocolate chip cookie! Thanks for sharing the recipe. Wanda
They both look delicious. I have a real sweet tooth, but I actually like the idea of the healthier choice.
So Crisco is the answer to getting rid of my flat chocolate chip cookies, huh? Thanks for sharing.
No Crisco for me either. I buy organic all vegetable shortening from the Health food store (Spectrum brand) that is non-hydrogenated. Works for me. Both of your cookies look yummy and you can't go wrong with those choc chips! I should know, I ate them straight from the bag this afternoon!:)
Looks very good! Lecker!
Markus
Hi Sherry! We are all for clean eating...at least the majority of the time. I will definitely have to check out that blog! And try out those chocolate chips! YUM! Thanks for sharing both recipes!!
Have a lovely day!
Becky
I don't make homemade cookies very often now. I did like you thought when my son was growing up, looking for different ways to make healthier. I think I added oats to all my cookies. This is a good recipe using Crisco sometimes instead of butter. Looks delicious…….
~Emily
The French Hutch
Oh I adore Crisco . . . but it is not something we can have anymore since hubby's heart attack so I am definitely going to check out that site! Another great site for healthy recipes is Eatbetteramerica.com -- LOVE this site! Thanks for the post (I think your Crisco cookies look FANTASTIC!!)
I am on the same trail! Thanks for the new recipe - I have just posted two healthiest cookie recipes on my blog. I will be giving yours a try and check out the website. I'm a fan of Dr. Junger and Crazy Sexy Life - have you checked them out?
Hugs,
Lisa
Will definitely have to try that recipe!!...Looks and sounds great!
Fantastic! I've used Crisco for years in my cookies. The texture is much better! Thank you for sharing. Hope you're having a grand evening. Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse
Sherry, these look scrumptious and not healthy at all! *wink wink* just the way I like them. LOL If you get a moment, would you like to link up to my "Thriving on Thursdays" Linky Party here in Australia? I feature recipes, crafts, furniture makeovers, organisating and decluttering advice, makeup tips, financial advice, etc. Anything goes.
http://domesblissity.blogspot.com/2012/01/thriving-on-thursdays-linky-party-2.html
Anne @ Domesblissity xx
Yum, looks delicious! Pat
The original Toll House chocolate chip cookie called for 1 stick butter/margarine and 1/2 cup Crisco. This is the way I still make them. They're the BEST tasting cookie. I use the dough, minus the chocolate chips for another cookie...a mint "surprise" cookie. My mom used to make these cookies with a Brach's Starlight (chocolate) mint enclosed in the dough, topped with a pecan half. These mints are hard to find, so we now use 1/2 of an Andes creme de menthe mint. Their really tasty...
Jane
Yum! We are dark chocolate fans here! Thanks so much for sharing on FridayFood over at Momtrends.
Sherry, Just wanted to say thanks for linking up to my Thriving on Thursdays party last week. It's on again tomorrow (Australian time). We'd love to see what you've been up to.
Anne @ Domesblissity xx
Oh one of my true favorites!
I loved the sweet sachet hearts too.
Well done!
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